Dustbin is the place for Kashmir interlocutor’s report (Organiser, 17.6.2012); The interlocutor’s report on Jammu and Kashmir is no surprise since the three interlocutors to begin with had no locus standi on Kashmir. For example in the report the term ‘Pak Administered Kashmir’ is used which is normally used by the separatists. Even Pakistan never used this term and called it only ‘Azad Kashmir’. Further the report mentions the people who were uprooted from Pakistan occupied area in 1947 as ‘migrants’ whereas in the order of 1950 signed by Sheikh Abdullah and Nehru they were called ‘displaced persons’. This clearly demonstrates that the interlocutors team made no attempt to know about the realities of J&K and were ignorant of the facts even after spending full one complete year on the job. It appears that they were pre-occupied with certain motions and made no efforts to change their mindset. I fail to understand that despite of the fact that the government has described the report as the ‘view of the interlocutors’ and called it for an ‘informal debate’ on it, why the report was put on the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It has been rightly said in the editorial of the Organiser that the report of the interlocutors should be confined to the dustbin because the motive and commitement of at least two of its members are suspect. Further, the team to begin with had no political sanction and the members were selected by the government probably because of their Fai-Pakistan connection.
MAHESH CHANDRA SHARMA, E-198, Panki, Kanpur
Political vendetta: Under Manmohan Singh Organiser is “ineligible” for PIB accreditation! (Organiser, 13.5.2012); This is with reference to the front page article in Organiser, ‘Political vendetta: Under Manmohan Singh Organiser is “ineligible” for PIB accreditation!’. By denying PIB accreditation to an actually eligible weekly Organiser, UPA government has recognised it as its political rival. UPA has no moral strength left to accept its shortcomings being exposed by Organiser. For all the practical purposes UPA does not want to promote patriotism or national welfare. Since Organiser stands for both these values it is considered as “Ineligible” for the PIB accreditation and I believe that all those periodicals that are working for exposing the shortcomings of the UPA government, i.e. corruption, scams, treason, black money in foreign banks, Islamic communalism and Sonia’s extra-territorial loyalty, etc are conveniently denied PIB accreditation. The climax of the story is that the Congress Party’s bulletin Congress Sandesh has been accredited with PIB despite of the fact that it is not eligible for the same. I condemn and deny this violation of democracy and violation of PIB accreditation norms.
SUHASINI PRAMOD VALSANGKAR, Dwarakapuram, Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad-60
A treasonous document (Organiser, 17.6.2012); The recommendations of interlocutors report pertainent to Jammu and Kashmir should be thrown into the dustbin, rejected and condemned in the strongest terms. All the interlocutors are detrimental, anti-national, appeasing the Muslims, pernicious to national integration and encouraging separatist movement launched by the separatist and pro-Pakistani elements in the Valley. According to their indirect opinion Jammu and Kashmir is not an integral part of India otherwise they would not have recommended that the legislation passed by the Indian Parliament i.e., Central laws should not be extended to J&K by Presidential order. Interlocutors do not want that Muslims of J&K should mingle with the main national stream. They want their separate identity. This has been proved by recommending continuance of Article 370 of the Constitution. J&K is an integral part of India like other states is a mere howl of our present rulers. But their act is entirely adversary. If it is an integral part of India why can’t our President, Prime Minister, Speaker and Governors contest the election from there. These VIPs including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court cannot purchase any immovable property in J&K, nor can they contest the election even for the Panchayat. They have no right to do so because they are citizens of India and not of J&K whereas Gulam Nabi Azad is a citizen of both J&K and the rest of India. He can contest any election from any corner of the country. See the greatness of Article 370. Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee fought against Article 370 and became a martyer. What interlocutors have done is that they have just poured fuel in fire instead of extinguishing it. Under any circumstances patriotic Indians cannot and would never accept and tolerate such recommendations made by pro-Pakistani interlocutors. The same will be resisted strongly by the true patriots till the last drop of blood in their body.
SRIDHAR V KULKARNI, Tilakchowk Kalyan (West), Maharashtra-421 301
No point having discussion with traitors This refers to a news item in The Tribune dated 26.4.2012, that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, held talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to India, before making a pilgrimage to Ajmer. Both felt that “…priority should be given to the issue of people to people contact and the liberalised visa agreement should be signed….” Firstly, this liberalised visa would increase contacts between the Muslims of India and Pakistan, and would certainly help terrorists from Pakistan in increasing their access to India. Secondly, increase in contacts of Muslims from Pakistan, with the Hindus and the Sikhs in India would be meaningless, as we had much more mutual contacts before 1947, for centuries together. But that resulted in mass slaughter of ten lakh Hindus and Sikhs in 1947, and abduction, rape and dishonouring of more than one lakh Hindu-Sikh women and girls. Of course their was some peace during British rule, as they gave top most importance to law and order. But before the Britishers came, there were continuous wars between the Hindu kings and Muslim rulers. In Punjab, the Sikh history is nothing but war between the Muslim rulers and the Sikh warriors. We cannot just blame the Britishers and hold them responsible for “Divide and Rule” as it was often done by many Indian leaders too. In fact still the Congress is ruling by dividing the Hindus and with the help of Muslim voters. It would not be wrong to say, that terrorists which are being exported by Pakistan to India to destroy and kill, is simply extension of what was done of Hindus and Sikhs in 1947 in Pakistan. Even God cannot save us, if we invite Muslims from Pakistan in the name of people to people contact.
ANAND PRAKASH, 72/Sector-8, Panchkula-134 109
True forecast Due to Union government’s poor planning and policy paralysis critics had been warning the UPA government that such such large scale mismanagement by the government would definitely cut short the fabled Indian growth story. Recently the fear was confirmed as true. The latest figures show that India’s growth rate during the 2011-2012 fiscal year crashed to a nine year low of 6.5 per cent. It is not just the rupee that is on a downward spiral, but the entire economy is in free fall. In the first quarter of 2011-2012 the economy grew at just above 8 per cent. Then the figure dropped to a shocking 6.7 per cent in the second quarter and sank further to 6.1 per cent in the third. Each time UPA dispensation asked us to believe that the economy would quickly pull back. But the last quarter’s 5.3 per cent growth rate is an evidence enough that the government has either no idea on how to accelerate or simply does not care enough to do do. The rout has found reflection in almost every sector of the Indian economy, whether it is agriculture, finance, communication, hospitality, trade and transport or industry. It is a shame to the UPA government that even after the Reserve Bank of India hiked the interest rate 13 times since March 2012, it failed to push the economic growth.
Manmohan Krishna Malhotra, Mumbai
Don’t expect positive move from PM Whatever Dr Manmohan Singh says, the government is downright corrupt. Though the PM has been repeatedly reminded of the huge amount of black money stashed away in different foreign banks but he has not taken any step to check it. In fact UPA government under Dr Manmohan Singh directed the authorities abroad to defreeze the bank account of Ottavio Quattrocchi who received kickbacks in the Bofors deal. Was he not responsible and accountable for approving the proposal of A Raja in the 2G Spectrum allotment scam? Had he firmly objected to the proposal, the government would have not incurred a loss of Rs 1.76 crore. The PM has frequently stated that Maoists are the greatest internal threat but no concrete action has been taken by him. Despite knowing fully well that Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism, India under the UPA rule has started a dialogue with Pakistan. Further the government has failed to contain the outrageous price rise of essential commodities which effects the aam aadmi. I would say the country cannot expect anything better from a woolly-headed, weak-willed PM whose prime objective is to cling to power even at the cost of his prestige.
JAYANTI NAIR, Chennai
Chhattisgarh’s GDP growth rate is more than the national average I am very happy to learn that the Union Ministry of Statistics has included Chhattisgarh as one of the top four states posting 10.8 per cent GDP growth during 2011-12. In fact this is the third year of Dr Raman Singh and State has maintained over ten per cent GDP growth and has been placed in the list of top states in terms of GDP growth. In 2011-12 when the national GDP has dipped to 6.5 per cent, Chhattisgarh recorded a 10.8 per cent growth. It is very nice to learn that the State has been reporting growth rate of over 10 per cent for the last three years which is more than the national average.
Bighnaraj Patel, Odisha
Opposition should be given due weightage I feel veteran BJP leader LK Advani is absolutely right in demanding the establishment of a ‘collegium’ to select constitutional heads such as the Chief Election Commissioner and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. These positions are too important to be unilaterally decided by the government in power. We have seen how the Congress led UPA has on recent occasions contemptuously brushed aside the reservation of the Opposition parties in the finalisation of these oppointments. Shri Advani has rightly suggested that a collegium like body which should comprise the PM, the Union Minister of Law and Justice, leaders of Opposition in both the Houses of the Parliament and the Chief Justice of India should select the country’s Chief Election Commissioner and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Nothing can be more appropriate because the selection panel would be represented not just by the government and the principal Opposition but also by the non-political Chief Justice of India.
TR RAGHAVAN, 8/10, Hutchins Road, 10th Cross, Bengaluru
Why adopt English? I don't know whether we Indians have adopted English as our state language wilfully or otherwise. But I am sure that English is not respectful of our values or suited to Indian values. It is only working to make our age old values weak.
VISHAL KOHLI, 110, A-5/3, Shanti Kunj, Pashim Vihar, New Delhi-110 063
Renovation of two washrooms for Rs 35 lakh In a country where people don’t have enough to eat, no basic facilities in big cities what to talk of villages, and at a time when the country is standing on the verge of economic crisis, the Planning Commission’s decision to spend a whopping rupees 35 lakh on renovating two wash rooms at Yojana Bhavan, Delhi, should have come as a shock. But it really does not surprise anyone since people are now familiar with the Congress-led UPA regime’s double talks. If anything, it only serves to highlight once again the government’s duplicitous standards.
ARCHANA SHARMA, Ratanlal Nagar, Kanpur
Comments